Harmers International to conduct spring auction June 6 at Collectors Club in New York City

May 21, 2015, 6 PM

Harmers International will present its spring auction June 6 at the Collectors Club, 22 E. 35th St. in New York City.

The sale will offer United States, British Commonwealth and worldwide stamps and covers, collections, and a large selection of philatelic forgeries.

The auction begins at 1 p.m. with several lots offering examples of the 1845 5¢ black on bluish wove paper George Washington New York postmaster’s provisional (Scott 9X1). It continues with the 1847 issues, the 5¢ reddish brown Franklin and 10¢ black Washington (1-2).

A selection of U.S. classic stamps and postal history follows, including carriers and locals on cover, steamship mail, Western express covers and more.

An 80-lot selection of forgeries and Sperati creations ranges from altered covers to a forged 24¢ Jenny Invert block of four.

Among these is a forgery of the Penny Black, Great Britain’s 1840 1-penny stamp, used on cover to defraud the post. It is struck with a genuine 1858 violet London duplex, and the cover bears appropriate Ireland transit markings. It is addressed, oddly enough, to a post office. The cover carries an estimate of $100 to $150 and an opening bid of $65.

Genuine issues of the British Commonwealth follow, with a rare unused pair of Great Britain’s 1840 Official stamp, the 1d black Queen Victoria with “V R” initials in the upper corners.

The auction catalog carefully describes restoration on this item, which involves redistributed gum and “top margin expertly added along with just the top frame-line,” restoration described as virtually undetectable. The stamps also have a faint horizontal crease. A 2001 BPA Expertizing certificate provides a matching depiction.

The auction catalog description adds that for this rare Official stamp, six blocks of four exist, and only five pairs.

The 2015 Scott Specialized Catalogue of Stamps and Covers 1840-1940 lists Great Britain Scott O1 unused at $35,000 for a single stamp. Harmers International offers this pair with an opening bid of $10,000.

Several attractive covers from Romania are available in this auction, led by a mourning envelope franked with an 1858 54-parale blue on green Moldavia Bull’s Head Coat of Arms stamp (Scott 2), cut square. The stamp is tied with a bold blue Galatz 7/10 postmark, and the cover is addressed to Jassy.

A 2015 AIEP (Association Internationale des Experts en Philatelie) certificate by Fritz Heimbuchler identifies the cover as “a new discovery.” It is offered with an opening bid of $5,000.